EDITH FAHNESTOCK
1872 - 1957
Edith Fahnestock ended a long and distinguished career
as a teacher of modern languages when she died on
November 21st at Poultney, Vermont in her eighty-fifth
year. At the time of her retirement in 1939, she had
been a member of the Vassar language faculty for
thirty-one years. During her rich career as a linguist,
Miss Fahnestock ranged over the modern languages with
a eosmopolitan sense of the whole. She was warmly
aware of language, not only as a tool and technique,
but as the blood stream of culture.
Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she attended school
in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated from the Women's
College of Western Reserve University in l89h with
the degree of Bachelor of Letters. After two years,
during which she did graduate work at the University
of Zurich and at the Sorbonne, she was appointed
Fellow in Romance Philology at Bryn Mawr College.
Completion of her graduate work was interrupted by
intervals of teaching, but in 1908 she received the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College.
Prior to coming to Vassar in the Autumn of 1908, she
had been made head of the Department of Modern Languages
at Mississippi State College, a position which she held
from 1899 to 1906, and after that a member of the
Department of Romance Languages at Mount Holyoke College
for one year. In the early years of her appointment at
Vassar she taught Italian and French as well as Spanish.
Under her guidance the Department of Spanish was
established as a separate division in 1922, at which
time she was made its Chairman. She continued in this
capacity through its growth until her retirement in
1939. She worked consistently for the broadening of
offerings in the Spanish Department and for any changes
in the teachin of languages which would break down
barriers to international understanding. Miss Fahnestock's
great interest in bringing together the people of this
country and the Spanish speaking people not only of
Spain, but of this Hemisphere, led her to introduce as
early as l92l, courses at Vassar, conducted in Spanish,
in the literature and the historical cultural background
of Spanish America. She further helped the teaching of
Spanish by inviting scholars and young people from
these countries to lecture or teach in the Department
of Spanish.
EDITH FAHNESTOCK (Continued)
Miss Fahnestock's publications included a Study of the
Sources and Composition of Old French "Lai d'Haveloc"
1915; translation in collaboration with Miss Florence
White of an "Entremes" by Cervantes; the editing in
collaboration with Miss Margarita de Mayo of an
American edition of "Campo" by J. M. Estrada, 1937;
and contributions in 1930 to Current History.
At the time of the Spanish American War a great liberal
movement, a twentieth century Renaissance, had arisen
in Spain in the work of the so-called generation of
'98. Miss Fahnestock was one of the first American
language teachers who fully aware of the importance of
this movement familiarized American students with the
ork of Ramon Menendex Pidal, Miguel de Unamuno, Maria
de Maeztu, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Jose Castillejo, Jose
Ortegay Gasset and many others. Her concern for
Modern Spain continued throughout her lifetime.
In 1916 she became a Corporator of the International
Institute for Girls in Spain, an organization sponsored
by Americans, and staffed entirely by American and
Spanish teachers. It provided secondary educational
opportunities for the young wmnen of Spain. During the
next forty years she continued the connection with the
school in various capacities.
In 1927 she gave in Spanish the introductory address
to the 17th Spanish Language and Literature Summer
session at the Centro de Estudios Historicos, of the
University of Madrid. Americo Castro, Professor
Emeritus of Princeton University and at that time,
Director of the Centre, welcomed the foreign teachers
of Spanish. Miss Fahnestock who as an American teacher
of Spanish had attended the first session in 1912, was
invited to address the group in the name of all the
language teachers, American and European. She stressed
the importance of the relations between the United
States and Spain and advocated the promotion of interest
in Spanish culture among teachers of Art, History and
Literature. Her speech-was published in the issue of
"Hispania" of November 1927.
During and after the Spanish civil war and until her
death, she aided homeless Spanish refugees with gifts
of money and clothing. She worked in the defense of the
Anti-fascist committee and the Spanish Loyalists. She
helped exiles to find ways to carry on their careers
in other countries.
EDITH FAHNESTOCK (Continued)
Colleagues and friends of hers have spoken of the
real gift which Miss Fahnestock showed in directing
young people into teaching. She had a primary interest
and faith in people in whom she honestly welcomed
variety, non-conformity and individual differences.
Miss Fahnestock continued to live an active life in
the communities of Vassar and Poughkeepsie after her
retirement. She was a member of the League of Women
Voters; she made frequent trips to Castle Point,
where, at the Veterans Hospital, she taught Spanish.
For a while she also taught at Greenhaven Prison.
In recent years she became very much interested in the
study of Russian.
Before and after Miss Fahnestock's retirement, the
book-lined living room in the house on College Avenue
shared by Miss Fahnestock and Miss Peebles, of the
Department of English, was an exciting haven for
Faculty discussions and student gatherings. A fire
burning on the hearth and good talk -- these were the
by-words for several college generations who look
back to the hospitality of this house with its lovely
view of the Catskills and its rock garden, and the
alert teachers who made it a place of warmth and
friendliness.
Fran her interest in foreign languages and cultures,
to her concern for public affairs, from her activities
in behalf of oppressed nations to her kindness towards
the stray dog who wandered up hill to her front door,
Edith Fahnestock was a humane woman, citizen and
teacher.
Respectfully submitted,
Elizabeth A, Daniels
Josephine M Gleason
Pilar de Madariaga
XIV - 273-274